TECH APPLICATION

for Forging
Published by
the Center Materials EPRl for Fabrication
Produce World C I a u Forgings

Vol. 1, No. 20,1987

The Challenge:

ffshore competition forced Harris-Thomas Drop Forge to improve the methods it uses to produce steering arm ball joint sockets and other steel forgings for automotive and bicycle manufacturers. Today, using induction heating and more powerful hammers, HarrisThomas competes successfully in both the domestic and mxld markets. Since its inceptionin 1924, Harris-Thomas relied on the dmple drtue of producing the quality forgings its cusof tomers demanded. But in the mid 1970's beganto feel the it threat of offshore competition and sought ways to reduce costs while improving quality. 1986 it decidedto look In for a more cost-effective way of heating steel toforgingtemperatures.Thenewheating method had to rn Heatmorebilletsperminutetokeep up larger capacity with hammers Improve dimensional tolerances 9 rn Improve quality-notably through scale reduction rn Reduce environmental concerns. Harris-Thomas found what it was looking for in induction heating: better quality, increased productivity and cost savings.

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The Old Wry The older forging lines at Harris-Thomas I consist of slot-type refractory furnaces and gravity drop hammers. Carbon steel bars, 19 feet long by rn Variations in forging temperature cause variations part in l%s-inch diameter, are typically sheared by hand into 4-foot- dimensions. long sections. These sections are loaded onto racks and rn Scale formed during heating causes high scrap rates and heated 40 at a time oil-fired refractory furnaces for about in l w tool life. o 5 minutestoapproximately2400 F Whenthecolor of abar . rn Heating with oil poses a potential environmental concern.. indicates it has reached the proper temperature, a worker Harris-Thomas investigated several steel-heating options removes it from the furnace with tongs and carriesthe it to before choosing induction heating. Rotary hearth and forging station. Then 18 inches of the heated end is inserted automated box furnaces provide more process control than into the first 3 die cavities, where receives up to 3 blows of it oil-fired furnaces, but fuel efficiency would still low, scale be with the gravity drop hammer. The bar is manually would still be present, and neither method could easily keep transferred from cavity to cavity, absorbing blows until it up with the greater capacity hammers. addition, HarrisIn reaches the proper shape. After forging, flash is removed Thomas did not have the floor space add multiple fuelto from the partin a trim press located adjacent to the hammer to and the part is removed from the bar. The bar is returned fired units necessary achieve the increased capacity. to the furnace for the next 18 inches heated and forged. to be Aftertheforgingshavecooled,scaleisremoved by shot The New Wry blasting and the part is cold worked to reduce dimensional For the new forging line, bars are sheared directly into variations. 18-inch slugs and transported to the forging floor. There they This process has many drawbacks: are loaded into a vibratory feeder and conveyed to the bowl rn Production rate is w l . o induction heating unit, where they enter single file. The heating unit contains several blanks, which heat to forging rn Employees continually are exposed furnace to heat.

Heated to forging temperature, the slug exits the induction heater and is conveyed to the forging station. inset: The worker at right forges a slug while another trims forgings.

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A Fastor Uno Making

iications of induction Heating he&ng can bensed for a,variety:p$gper&q heating prior to metal forming. Applicattlon clude heat treating, seam welding and melting.Formo formation induction on heating technology, see ','! '. Techcommentary Vol. 2, Nos. 1-4, and khApplication Vol. 1, No. 7. , ... I

With the induction heatingair-drivenhammer combination, Harris-Thomas manufactures higher quality parts at a fa&er rate than ever before. The associated savings Harrisallow Thomas to d e r quality forgings at reduced prices. The M of induction heatinghave been many: s t Because of induction heating's exact MmpwatureControl, dimensional variances have been docmmed. Control of tolerances has improved 50-75%. )bmh-Thomas can now produce parts with strict

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Induction heating's improved dimensional that Harris-Thomas can now manufacture

ess has decreased Induction heating is vital a

heat a pound steel, the costof of ion heater is40% less than the cost of

pmducth nk.Because induction heating is & quicker than conduction heating and the air hrmers can handle more work, Harris-Thomashas mcmased its rateof production by 10-15%. Mkrtkn he. Since induction heaters not u e heating do s oil, the plant and environment are cleaner. Fbmf mjocts. The reject rate has decreasd from 13% k less than 4%. kcmmldk w w Since inductionheating daeg not o. produce as much scale, dies l s 25% .-I at lnparndwwkonvlromrmd.Workersarendsubjsded t as much heatas from an open u m o f
What Dld it All Cost? IImis-Thornas purchased the inductionheater and bawl feeder for approximately $425,000. Other camponents,such as a cooling tower and transformers,add SigniliCanUy to this cost. Harris-Thomas expects the payback pwlod to be 1.2 years.

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